[Archived] Blackburn Rovers Transfer Topic

[Ray-Von]

I'm sorry, but there's no way on this earth that we'll be top ten next season with the current personnel.

Kudos to Sam for getting us out the mire last season but as Nicko alluded to, it was down to big performances from key players in the big games and also the fact that the bottom three teams were dog toffee and couldn't get any results themselves.

It won't be like that next term and I'd fear for us if the season started tomorrow, and that's with our currently injured players fit.

Very good post. I didn't feel comfortable at any stage last season that we would score enough goals to get us out of trouble and in the end it boiled down to Samba causing havoc against Spurs, Wigan and Pompey.

[joey_big_nose]

I doubt he's on 60k wages plus, we pay big wages but Sidwell wasn't exactly in the Barry category and thats the kind of money Barry was on, I know Barry, Friedel and now A.Young are on big wages (tho at his new home I am sure Barry is enjoying his 130k...), as are Petrov and Carew, but Sidwell at 60 I am sure must be incorrect.

Can't see how we would justify more than 6m, we signed him for 5.5m and he's had some injuries and not played all the games, I think 4m would make us at least listen. He can be a tool (always in town with Shorey at lloyds bar or gamestation...) but he is honest and hardworking from what i've seen. I wouldn't mind keeping him but I think we'll sign a new midfielder to replace Barry then his situation is the same again, bench.

He will be on at least 60k as that was his wage at Chelsea, five or six clubs were chasing him, and he held out for his wages to be matched. I'll defer to your opinion that O'Neill would sell for less than he bought but I would ask why unless you are short of cash? I thought with Lerner you were loaded?

[briansol]

Well I don't know what England strikers you did mean...

Rovers NEED the right target man otherwise the tactics will not work. You scrambled away from trouble last time courtesy of a couple of big displays in key matches with Big Chris up front.

If you want to be in that kind of fight again, don't sign a top striker.

There is no way Sam is going to go into a season with McCarthy and Roberts as his senior options.

He left the pair out a couple of times when the going got rough. What does that tell you?

That means that Sam will have to adjust his tactics. The bleak Stoke copy version of football presented is not going to cut it. We were fell found against Stoke away. Most embarassing match I've watched from us.

We definitly need a new striker, but Davies is not the answer and the deal will never happen. If we want someone just for flick-ons on long throws we might just as well buy Zigic who is a donkey who also scores a few.

And for all the mocking of the resale factor:

What if we bought someone like Davies instead of Santa Cruz 2 years ago? That player would be too old now, and we would have no money at all for his replacement.

About time people realise what constraints the club work under, and while it tries to back the manager as far as it can, deals like 5 mill Davies will never happen, and never should.

[nicko]

Willing to put your money where your mouth is?

By the way...When did I say Sam would go to the £10 million? That's what Bolton want . At least.

There are ways of making it happen...just seems Rovers have not quite got their act together on that plan yet.

[LeChuck]

Well I don't know what England strikers you did mean...

I wouldn't know how to go about researching this so I can't give you a list, but players like Jeffers and Nugent. Even Dave Kitson seemed a more popular choice when Reading were in the Premier League. The most desperate of England managers haven't thought to call him up, which seems a bit odd if he is as quality as you suggest.

I'm going to leave it at this because we're never, ever going to come close to agreeing on anything with him.

[Tom 1]

He will be on at least 60k as that was his wage at Chelsea, five or six clubs were chasing him, and he held out for his wages to be matched. I'll defer to your opinion that O'Neill would sell for less than he bought but I would ask why unless you are short of cash? I thought with Lerner you were loaded?

What five or six clubs were chasing him? As soon as we went in that was it he was coming to Villa, I don't remember us having much competition at all, it was an easy deal, his wages were definitely lowered as part of the deal as I remember there being quite a big deal about it, if Nicko knows then ask him about the wages of Sidwell as I could be wrong, but I would be literally amazed if he's on 60k a week mate. Think the Villa financial side is very much overstressed by other teams fans, we aren't a team full of 60/70k wages.

Yeah Lerner has money but we're not that loaded, we spent 50m last year, you can't do that every year, Sidwell going for less than we got him for isn't a reflection of our finances, it's just hard to see how much more we could charge based on his time here, he's shown flashes but injuries held him back, i'd say 4/5m would be a fair price.

[nicko]

That means that Sam will have to adjust his tactics. The bleak Stoke copy version of football presented is not going to cut it. We were fell found against Stoke away. Most embarassing match I've watched from us.

No, he won't adjust his tactics.

Yes, he needs the players to make it work.

Starting with a target man.

You employed Sam because he plays pragmatic football after the harem-scarem trash you had for a while under his experimental predecessor.

So let the man sign who he wants and stuff the micro-economics.

There just ISN'T a young re-sellable striker around who could play the way that YOUR manager wants. If there was he would [a] cost a fortune with little re-sale value, still be a risk if he came from outside the Premier League and [c] HE WOULD ALREADY BE HERE!

[SYRovers]

I'm not advocating the acquesition of Davies but his lack of England caps shouldn't be used as a yardstick..after all Matt Le Tissier wasn't fancied by many an England manager yet his talent can hardly be called it to question can it?

Nicko while I'm here could you give a quick update on David Bentleys proposed movements this summer.. Is it completely inconceivable he could find himself back at Ewood next season with a view to try and force his way back into Fabio's thoughts for next summer or is his ego to big to let that happen...

Also I heard the main reason behind his recent ommitence from England squads was partly due to him and Bullard appointing themselves class clown around the England camp a few squads back?...much to Fabio's disdain?

Also I find it most upseting that we are seemingly not in for Eidur Gudjohnsen..

[nicko]

I wouldn't know how to go about researching this so I can't give you a list, but players like Jeffers and Nugent. Even Dave Kitson seemed a more popular choice when Reading were in the Premier League. The most desperate of England managers haven't thought to call him up, which seems a bit odd if he is as quality as you suggest.

I'm going to leave it at this because we're never, ever going to come close to agreeing on anything with him.

Funny. I thought we were talking about target men. Jeffers? Nugent? Did Kitson even get a call-up?

I think you are going to leave it at that because you can't back up what you said.

Davies has been the best club target man around for five seasons or so. Ask any Premier League manager or defender.

YES, he is older than you want. YES, he will be far more expensive. YES, there is no re-sale value.

But - in the here and now - I see every reason why Sam wants him ahead of anyone else.

[Roversider]

Yeah Lerner has money but we're not that loaded, we spent 50m last year, you can't do that every year, Sidwell going for less than we got him for isn't a reflection of our finances, it's just hard to see how much more we could charge based on his time here, he's shown flashes but injuries held him back, i'd say 4/5m would be a fair price.

Sidwell going for less is a reflection on his injuries, form and appearances I would suggest. Can't see that a midfielder is the highest priority when the strikeforce is crying out for additions at Ewood. When (and I don't mean if) that is resolved we can look at stengthening midfield. Bear in mind we have Reid, Dunn and Emerton coming back to join Grella, Diouf, Pederson and Andrews, all of whom are full internationals. I know that there are question marks over their fitness but Sam will know the situation in fine detail.

Sidwell showed some class at Reading but what, on a consistent basis since? Anyway, as usual, I will defer to the man who picks the team choosing who he wants with the resources available.

[Stuart]

Funny. I thought we were talking about target men. Jeffers? Nugent? Did Kitson even get a call-up?

I think you are going to leave it at that because you can't back up what you said.

Davies has been the best club target man around for five seasons or so. Ask any Premier League manager or defender.

YES, he is older than you want. YES, he will be far more expensive. YES, there is no re-sale value.

But - in the here and now - I see every reason why Sam wants him ahead of anyone else.

I'm beginning to think you have some sort of consultancy fee tied into this one!

[LeChuck]

YES, he is older than you want. YES, he will be far more expensive. YES, there is no re-sale value.

YES, he doesn't score many goals. YES, he's technically poor. YES, we've hardly got fond memories of him. YES, he can only play one way - ugly.

Regarding the England thing, I only mentioned target men specifically with Capello, who chose to call-up Darren Bent when all of his strikers got injured a while back instead of the best target man in the league. Prior to Capello I just meant strikers in general, might as well throw Vassell into the list whilst I'm at it.

To be honest I don't believe Davies is Sam's first choice anyway, if Van Nistelrooy (from the horses mouth) is anything to go by then he wants a quality goalscorer - makes sense given our goal-shy midfield.

[nicko]

I'm beginning to think you have some sort of consultancy fee tied into this one!

The daft thing is I should just have written the story - which was quite a good one although I say it myself - and let everyone squabble among themselves.

It would certainly have saved on the blood pressure pills.

Mind you, it wouldn't be half as much fun.

YES, he doesn't score many goals. YES, he's technically poor. YES, we've hardly got fond memories of him. YES, he can only play one way - ugly.

Regarding the England thing, I only mentioned target men specifically with Capello, who chose to call-up Darren Bent when all of his strikers got injured a while back instead of the best target man in the league. Prior to Capello I just meant strikers in general, might as well throw Vassell into the list whilst I'm at it.

To be honest I don't believe Davies is Sam's first choice anyway, if Van Nistelrooy (from the horses mouth) is anything to go by then he wants a quality goalscorer - makes sense given our goal-shy midfield.

Bent is a target man now, is he? Hmm.

You don't believe Davies was Sam's first choice? Why did he confirm Rovers had inquired then? BEFORE the Ruud van Nistelrooy whimsy.

[AggyBlue]

Davies has been the best club target man around for five seasons or so. Ask any Premier League manager or defender.

I thought the penny had dropped.

Davies isn't welcome back at Ewood.

[Roversider]

.

But - in the here and now - I see every reason why Sam wants him ahead of anyone else.

Well said Nicko, too many people think Kevin Davies is the same player as he was when he previously wore blue and white. He patently is not.

He does a very specific job and I actually believe that he should have been second choice as target man for England after Heskey. It is the balance of a team that matters and I think Davies would fit Sam's requirements exactly.

I am happy to bury any pain from his first appearances with us - but - not at £10 million. At that price nobody believes it will happen, but players become unsettled as we all know which somehow, inexplicably affects the valuation.

Gartside and Allardyce never got on so why would we expect an easy negotiation?

Could still happen.

[RibbleValleyRover]

If we bring in Di Santo why can't he play that targetman role? He is 6'4, has that ability to hold up the ball from what i've seen and looks a similar player to Roque.

[alexanders]

Danish media reporting that Jacobsen snubbed Burnley and chose Rovers.

[nicko]

I thought the penny had dropped.

Davies isn't welcome back at Ewood.

Break it to your manager then.

And while you're on give him a better suggestion.

Danish media reporting that Jacobsen snubbed Burnley and chose Rovers.

What is the Danish for p!sh?

[Sparky Marky]

James Beattie.

[wandel77]

Break it to your manager then.

And while you're on give him a better suggestion.

What is the Danish for p!sh?

PM me i will answer you :-)

[braddock]

There just ISN'T a young re-sellable striker around who could play the way that YOUR manager wants. If there was he would [a] cost a fortune with little re-sale value, still be a risk if he came from outside the Premier League and [c] HE WOULD ALREADY BE HERE!

does that mean that there may be people available, good enough for rovers but sam doesn't want?

[T4E]

What is the Danish for p!sh?

Cøyle?

[den]

YES, he's technically poor.

I wouldn't agree with that LeC. He has a good first touch, shields the ball well, can lay the ball of well and is technically good in the air. He does what he does, well. What he hasn't got is pace, but Sam always made up for that by adding pace around him.

[LeChuck]

Bent is a target man now, is he? Hmm.

EXACTLY my point! Rather than call up Davies he was prepared to change the way England's attack functioned.

By technically Den, I meant his striking of the ball, his passing, his close control. He's got a decent touch if it's not at his feet, I'll give him that.

[tcj_jones]

It's up to John Williams to protect the financial future of this club, not just immediately but also in the long term. It's fairly obvious the signing a 32 year old for nearly £10 million would cause huge problems for us in a couple of years time. Williams wouldn't be going beyond his power in preventing a deal like that happening.

If it was Thierry Henry or someone you could argue it would be worth it.

But this is Kevin Davies. He's an average Premier League player. Despite England's complete lack of depth in the striking department over the past decade, he's never even received a call up. Look at the dross that has been picked ahead of him. Even after his best season and with a manger who loves a strong target man he still can't get a look in, instead being picked behind Heskey, Cole and Crouch, none of whom are that great.

Sam's record last season suggests we wouldn't be fighting relegation without a new front man anyway, we just need one if we are to progress.

And finally, stopping us being relegated doesn't make money, it saves money. HUGE difference.

I seem to find myself agreeing with you on everything you write these days. Unfortunately, the majority appear concerned only with the immediate future.

Totally agree. If Kevin Davies was the absolute stick on world class striker that Nicko claims he would have been hunted down for years by clubs with more money to spend than us. Fact is he isn't, he is good at his job, but not a special player. Hence why he has never got into the England squad when we are very short of quality strikers at the moment.

Theres no way we will spend more than 4m on Davies. Allardyce won't be able to justify to Williams, or - I would imagine - himself. He needs to find someone who can do the job he wants either cheaper, younger or a combination of both. This is what he is paid to do.

Davies isn't a top striker and he's certainly not worth the money Bolton are asking.

You're right Allardyce needs more than McCarthy, Roberts and potentially Di Santos upfront next year, but it doesn't mean he should take his ball and go home if the board veto him spending an obscene amount of money on a 32 year old journeyman that he happens to have a history with (one, I might add, that is hated by the majority of the Rovers fan base).

Come on now, you must have learnt that Nicko's word is taken as gospel around here. It's dangerous to disagree with his views. Davies is clearly the best option ON THE ENTIRE PLANET. And no, I'm not going to name alternatives, because that is the job of the clubs scouting network and men in the know of football outside England. Suffice to say, there just have to be better options available.

I don't doubt that Davies is / was no.1 on Sam's wish list - it makes sense. However, he simply won't spend the kind of money that is supposedly being demanded. The argument, therefore, that Allardyce or 'your manager' believes him to be the best option is redundant - he's too expensive.